While I have some very deep troubles with the AMA and right now, extremely deep situations, I have to say that you, Sir, are the one in error. I have a very excellent Home Owner's insurance plan with USAA, being a member there since 1956. It specifically includes model airplanes in the policy as insured, both for damage by fire and windstorm, plus liability issues. I have another HO policy on my summer cabin in MI using a local well competent local agent of a large company. Model aviation is NOT exempeted there. However the total costs to me far-far exceed the public liability cost of AMA membership. [sm=greedy.gif]
AMA insurance is really designed to assure YOU that a fellow modeler has some liability coverage to assist YOU in case the fellow guy injures YOU or YOURS. It also picks up the excess if your own commercial insurance is inadequate to meet your needs should the courts decide you are responsible for injuries to someone else.
I sort of think that Horace is going along the same route I have chosen. I find now that in order to join up with nearly "Any" group they initially ask you for current AMA license number on the application. If you fly or not. Or even think of such, you GOT to belong. I simply ask them, if it is a "Requirement" for membership, or jsut somehting nice to add on to the application. The groups in wich this is not a requirement seem to be survivng, and those that go the old mantra, are now.....
My H.O. policy far exceeds the limits noted via the AMA, but it yeilds to their policy in initial investigations into the incident. The H.O. policy is acting like a secondary aide, not as the primary one. No matter the cost involved in any claim. Kind of like saying your driver's license is only good in the state and county it was issued in. Not valid in any other state, even though they have same rules.
Would be nice if the AMA got out of the business of running everyone's lives, just said YES to the complainers, and allowed everyone else to go their individial way then. May be dreaming, but once the membership qantity drops so that there are a substantial amount of independants and only two members to the AMA this forum will not be needed. If the member is BAD, then let him be so notified, and do not punish the entire group for the one individiual.
Maybe, just maybe, we all should have reacted much sooner.
Wm.